Shower-bath



UNITED sTATEs IPATENT oEEicE.'

HORACE WELLS, OF HARTFORD, CONNEGTICU'Lf sHoWER-BATH.

specification of Letters Patent No. 4,836, dated November4, 184e; Ameaated May 4, 1846.

To all fw/wm t may concern.'

Be it known that I, HORACE l/VELLs, of Hartford, county of Hartford,qand State of Connecticut, had invented a new and Improved Shower-Bath; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof.

The nature of my invention consists in elevating the water` by means of a double acting force and suction pump, from a cistern in which the pumps are placed, through a pipe into astrainer or colander through which the water is discharged at the top, and returns into the cistern again, thus constant-ly supplying the pumps, the pumps being worked by the individual who is to be showered, by stepping alternately on one pump and then upon the ot-her, or in other words, with one foot and then the other, he standing on platforms coming from the tops of the pumps made for that purpose, and at the same timewhile working t-he pumps he receives the water thus elevated from the strainer above, by this arrangement a small lquantity of 'water will furnish a copious ath.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe its construction and operation.

Figure l, is a perspective elevation of the bat-h (the pumps being removed from the cistern). Fig. 2 is an elevation of the pumps and Fig. 3, is a plan of the pump boxes.

Corresponding letters in each figure refer to the same parts.

A A, Fig. l, is a box about two feet square and six high, it consists of four elevated pieces and a square frame at the bot-tom and top-or the whole may be called a square frame, this frame is surrounded with varnished or oiled cloth, stretched across and tacked or oiled cloth. The principal object is to keep the spray from wetting the iioor and to return it all to the'cistern, for the supply of the pumps.

E, E, is the cistern with the pumps out. It consists of a small water tight box capable of holding about two or three gallons, and is placed in and furnishes the only bottom y to the bath.

(e e e) are small pieces of iron projecting from the inside of the cistern having holes in them through which the rods which hold and guide the pumps Work.

(Z9) is a. rod extending across and resting n its ends on the top of the cistern. This is furnished with two pulleys (o o) over which a cord passes, the ends of said cords being attached to the top of the pumps see Fig. 2, for the purpose of elevating the one when the other is depressed. I do not confine myself to working them with a cord solely as they can be worked with a rack and pinion, with a chain, spring or various othermeans that are resorted to for the same purpose.

(a, a.) is a pipe through which the water is elevated.

F is an air cylinder for t-he purpose of furnishing a constant stream, and is made in all respects like those used for similar objects.

B, is the strainer or colander. It is of a lenticular figure. It stands horizontal, the lower sides being perforated' and it is atr tached to the conducting pipe (a a) and it may be made of any convenient size.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the pumps. They consist of two heads (m) made of wood or metal surrounded with cloth, leather or caoutchouc cloth, (m m). I prefer the latter material but either will answer. This cloth forms a bag from four to six inches long for each pump. Their lower ends being fastened around a. hole in the top of the two square boxes `H H below. These boxes or chambers H H are represented in Figs. 2 and 3, Fig. 3, being a sectional plan thereof shows two common hinged valves (cl d) are placed over holes in the side of the chambers H H which communicate with the surrounding cistern E these valves open inward-two other valves (65 d) are also applied to the chambers that open a communication outward into a chamber H connecting with pipe (a) of Fig. l, by means of pipe (y).

The tops (m) of the pumps are connected with two platforms L L on which the bather stands with one foot on each to work the pumps so` that when he throws his weight onto one platform he elevates the other by means of the cord and pulleys that connect the pumps as above named; the platforms are guided in their horizontal posi'- tion by the guide rods (u, ou) that pass through the guides (e e) above referred to while being elevated or depressed. By this arrangement it will be obvious that as the Weight of the bather is thrown alternately in combination with the shower bath or 10 onto the two pumps a constant supply is baths, as herein desoribed'or in any manner maintained above. substantially the same so that the pump can I am aware that boxes for shower baths be Worked While the hands are left at 5 have been made similar to the one described liberty.

before, therefore I do not claim the box, but HORACE WELLS.

Vhat I do claim as my invention and Witnesses: desire to secure by Letters Patent is JOSEPH B. STARR,

The pump or pumps Worked by treadles Y S. SMIjrH. 

